Block having surface layer piece attached thereto

ABSTRACT

A paving block with a rubber piece made from, e.g., a used tier, for reducing echoes, noise, wear, icing on the block surface, adhering force of ice, shocks in collisions, etc. The block having high dimensional accuracy and comprising strong rubber piece that does not peel away fro a long period is provided by a simple and low-cost method. The method is applied to provide diverse construction blocks to which materials, other than rubber, with various characteristics are attached. A square piece of rubber is cut off from a tire with non-uniform, uneven thickness caused by wear. This piece of rubber is made a surface layer piece ( 1 ) of a block, and asphalt that functions as a bonding portion ( 2 ) is applied to the back side of the surface layer piece ( 1 ). Concrete is placed directly on the asphalt as a curing body ( 3 ). The concrete placement thickness is adjusted so that the entire block has a predetermined thickness and the concrete is cured. Using a holding arm ( 7 ), a net like member ( 5 ), a separator ( 33 ), a joint ( 34 ), etc. can increase the strength of the block.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to construction concrete blocks with a variety of surface layer pieces attached such as rubber pieces excised mainly from discarded tires of automobiles.

BACKGROUND ART

Rubber pieces such as ones taken from discarded tires have been used for surface layers of concrete blocks for roads or walls in order to reduce noise, echoing sound, abrasion, ice formation, black ice, colliding shock etc. In the conventional method to use rubber pieces for the surface layer, discarded tires are first shredded or granulated into rubber grains which are then solidified to make a plate with the bonding agent. In this way the problem of different thicknesses of discarded tires is solved, producing the industrial products in a desired size.

However this method has drawbacks such as requiring special facilities for the shredding procedure and solidifying. Besides, the durability of the solidified plates of rubber grains will drop considerably, compared with the original tire rubber. Therefore these plates are not allowed for the motor ways or shore walls, where these are subjected to severe environmental conditions.

The procedure of granulation followed by solidification has been applied to surface layer pieces of other materials such as wood, glass or stone. These drawbacks are inevitable with the random thickness of surface layer piece, since the blocks are required to have a given thickness.

Many trials have been carried out to hold rubber pieces on hardened concrete with strong bonding agents or devices with the result that rubber pieces separate in a short period of time. One of the reasons is the flatness of the boundary plane in which stresses are directly transferred to the adjacent, increasing the shear force to cause the separation due to stress concentration on a specific spot. The spot is subjected not only to the shear stress from the adjacent but to thermal stresses due to the temperature change. The combined stresses will accelerate the separation which could spread fast on the simple plane. Consequently the long term bond strength will drop considerably.

There are three drawbacks in the conventional method as follows:

The production cost is high:

The strength of the surface pieces is low

The long term bond between the surface pieces and the block is reduced.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention is to solve these three drawbacks by a means of using blocks having surface layer piece attached thereto, as in Claim 1. The main points of the means are given in the two conditions in Claim I in the clause e as well as the clause f as follows:

-   The clause e is concerned with the tight contact between the     hardening material and the surface layer piece; -   The clause f is concerned with the optimum amount of hardening     material, placed in order to make the total depth of blocks to be a     designed one.

These points may be illustrated in an example in which fresh concrete as a hardening material is directly placed on the bonding layer, consisting of viscose body such as bituminous material. This procedure is to make three parts contacting with each other, a surface layer piece 1, a bonding portion 2 and a curing body 3 consisting of hardening material, referring to FIG. 1. The boundaries between the three can be complicated as much as the undulation on the back side of the surface layer pieces allows. In addition, the procedure easily enables control of the depth of the products, regardless of the thickness variation of the surface pieces.

Since this procedure spares the procedure of granulation or shredding in the conventional practice, the cost of blocks is reduced, and the surface pieces can be made stronger than the pieces made of solidified grains. The three parts the surface layer piece 1, the bonding portion 2 and the curing body 3 can be connected tightly. Therefore the shear forces to which the surface pieces are subjected are dispersed to prevent the stress concentration, strengthening the bond. In addition, the viscose body in the bonding portion can prevent the separation by deforming, even recovering the bonding strength for a period of time. Consequently the blocks according to Claim I are able to solve the three drawbacks simultaneously.

The objective of using the bitumen-like material of the delayed bond is to connect the surface pieces with the hardening material after the hardening material hardens. This objective may be attained likewise by other means as follows: delayed heating of the bonding portion, delayed infiltration of bond or simply bonding after the hardening is over. This means is applicable to various surface layer pieces made of a variety of materials such as wooden tips, plastics, discarded ceramics and natural pebbles. Although there are many materials having suitable properties as the surfacing materials, few of them have been used for the surface layer pieces of blocks. The reason is as follows: being difficult to stick to concrete, being weak in bonding the hardening materials or being of random sizes when supplied. The use of this invention makes it possible to produce durable products of blocks in a given size, with materials difficult to use in conventional practices.

The bonding material for the bonding portion 2 is to make a binder of concrete for the curing body 3, filling the prepared space of prefabricated blocks. This method can spare the procedure to make a bonding portion. Partial separation of the bonding portion, if made of asphalt-like materials, can be repaired automatically at high temperatures so that the long term bond or durability will increase considerably.

In addition, in Claim 2 it is shown that the joint body 34 can be formed in a space between the adjacent surface layer pieces in order to connect the pieces with a curing body 3 by burying, bonding or projecting. Since the joint body thus made is restrained by a curing body so that it can restrain the surface layer piece 1, the bond durability is enhanced considerably.

In addition, in Claim 3, the peripheral sides of the surface layer piece 1 can be shaped uneven either by forming dents or the holding hands 7 so that a curing body 3 can be also shaped likewise, strengthening the bond of the surface layer piece. Especially the holding hands 7 made of rubber can be held in a curing body 3 so that the bond can be enhanced further between the surface layer piece 1 and a curing body 3. The bond strength goes up by the undercut shape between the holding hand 7 and a curing body 3.

In addition, Claim 4 shows that the independent blocks can be connected with a net-like member, or a net or a holed sheet, 5 to be one so that the arrangement of blocks can be accurate with directions and the joint widths at the construction site in order to enhance the resistance against the deformation due to the traffic loads. Besides, the unit of connected blocks is more beneficial because it is easy to handle with a handling means such as a crane, raising the construction efficiency considerably.

Blocks claimed in Claim 5 are illustrated in FIG. 2, in which the cut-off line 11, parallel to the wheel axis, and the peripheral line 12 of the adjacent block cross at right angle. Thus arranged, the plane shape of the back side of the surface layer pieces will be uneven. This shape resists the deformation in two ways so that the removal or separation can be prevented, In addition, the tread pattern of the piece can contribute to prevent traffic accidents due to skidding.

Blocks claimed in Claim 6 are illustrated in FIG. 5, in which the surface layer piece is sandwiched between the hardening bodies. A curing body may be sandwiched between the surface layer pieces. Blocks thus sandwiched have a viscose function so that the flexibility, the sound-insulation, the water tightness and the traffic vibration absorption can be enhanced.

As claimed in Claim 7, a bonding portion 2 of blocks can have materials such as carbon fibers to generate the heat by the electrical currency, the microwave or the high frequency. The bonding portion can be made separately as a membrane. Since the bonding portion 2 can be controlled by heating, it is easy to check the arrangement of the surface layer pieces before bonding or to change the positions of the surface layer pieces. In such blocks, it is possible to reduce the cost of maintenance and repair, since it is possible at will either to bond a curing body 3 to the surface layer piece or to separate the bonded.

As shown in Claim 8, separators 33 can be inserted in a curing body to divide it so that cracks due to the traffic vibration or the base slide are forced along the separators since the shift or damage at the adverse positions in a block can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, corresponding to a line AB in FIG. 2, is a vertical cross section of an example of the present invention applied to block paving in order to reduce traffic noise and to remove ice. (Example 1)

FIG. 2 is an upper view of Example I, showing the position of the line AB in FIG. 2. (Example I)

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section of another example in order to illustrate the production procedure. (Example 2)

FIG. 4 is the inverted of the view in FIG. 3, showing the example of how to keep the rubber pieces above. (Example 2)

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross section of the example 3, in which the surface layer pieces are arranged within the block. (Example 3)

The figures in these drawings are described in the followings.

-   -   1 is a surface layer piece     -   2 is a bonding portion     -   3 is a curing body (or hardening body)     -   4 is a joint space     -   5 is a net-like member     -   6 is abase.     -   7 is a holding arm.     -   8 is a tread pattern.     -   11 is a cut-off line of discarded tire.     -   12 is a peripheral line of discarded tire     -   22 is an antifreeze.     -   33 is a separator.     -   34 is a joint.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the general procedure of this invention, each block is covered with one surface layer piece at least. In the case 1, the surface layer piece is of the 120 mm×120 mm square. Each block has four of the pieces with joints 4 mm wide. A bonding portion or an Asphaltic one is formed on the back side of the surface layer piece on which concrete is placed. When the rubber thickness is 10 mm and asphalt thickness is 1 mi-n, the concrete thickness can be 19 mm. In accordance with the rubber thickness, concrete thickness can be adjusted to make a block, 246×246×30 mm. As concrete hardens, the unification advances between rubber of the surface layer piece and a curing body of concrete to make a combined block. In this example, 16 of the blocks can be arranged in one square meter with the width of joints of 4. These blocks are either for multifunctional block roads by being placed on the base 6 of sand or rubber walls by being laid vertically. Consequently this procedure makes it possible to control the height of rubber blocks regardless of the thickness of the pieces attached, keeping the strength of these and the bond between them and a curing body.

The vertical cross section, when the practice is finished, is shown in FIG. 1. The procedures in the practice are as follows: cutting off the surface layer pieces 1 of square rubber pieces from a tire tread, forming the pieces into square plates, arranging these at positions for blocks, pasting asphalt for the bonding portion 2 on the back sides of the surface layer pieces I and finally placing concrete directly on the bonding portion 2. Concrete placed is to shape a block as designed. A curing body 3 gets the given strength by hardening with days to be united with the surface layer piece 1 with the bonding portion 2. Thus the block, consisting of the surface layer piece 1, the bonding portion 2 and a curing body 3, is completed when the bonding portion 2 has the bonding strength to unify these. These blocks, laid on the base of a road, are able to reduce the traffic noise considerably and also to prevent skidding accidents because the passing vehicles facilitate ice removal on the road surface. These blocks can be also used for walls for the sound insulation, water tightness, shock absorption, scouring. etc.

As in claim 1, the bonding portion 2 can be made of asphalt. Therefore the partial separation between the surface layer piece I and a curing body 3 is recovered when the temperatures are high. In addition, the bond and the separation can be controlled with heat and pressure so that the work for construction and maintenance is made simple.

As shown in claim 2, at least the part of a curing body 3, forming the jointing body 34, can be projected into the joint space 4. The jointing body 34 has a function to transfer forces to a curing body 3, to which the surface layer pieces 1 are subjected. Therefore a variety of surface materials such as plastics and metals can be used for the surface layer pieces 1.

In claim 4, the holding arm 7 can be formed to be held by a curing body 3. The said arm 7 is to prevent the surface layer piece I separated in order to secure the traffic safety. The said arm 7 can be club-shaped or holed to be held by the undercut of a curing body 3, increasing the bonding strength.

As claimed in claim 5, independent blocks can be connected with a net-like member 5 so that it prevents each block from being dislodged from the road surface, increasing the handling efficiency in construction.

FIG. 2 shows the upper view of Case 1 explained above. As claimed in claim 6, the breadthwise section line 11 and the end line 12 cross at right angles so that the undulation of the inner sides of tire pieces can be complicated to prevent the separation. The surface pattern can be also complicated, increasing the friction coefficient and adding to the beauty.

FIG. 3 is the vertical cross section, showing the production procedure. The surface layer pieces 1, which are of the square, are cut off from a discarded tire. The bonding side is covered with the bonding layer 2 of asphalt. A net-like member 5 of a sheet of metal mesh is buried in the bonding layer 2, on which concrete is placed, waiting for hardening and bonding. The lateral sectioning line 11, shown on the right of the surface layer piece 1, is slanted, since the slanting angle changes with the number of pieces cut off from a tire. The end lines 12, parallel to the advancing direction of a vehicle, can be processed to have projecting portions held by the joint 4 so that the rubber abrasion is reduced, making the driving comfortable.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section of the rubber blocks for the car buffer or the shore protection, showing the inverted of the drawing in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross section of the blocks, bonding on the tread side, in a system to sprinkle the antifreeze liquid. In Claim 8, two parts of a curing body sandwich the rubber pieces in-between. The thicker the rubber thickness is or the more a number of pieces are folded, the more the deformation limit of the piece increases. These blocks, arranged in a shallow pond of the antifreeze liquid 22, can lower the surface when trod by a vehicle so that the liquid 22 goes up and is spread on the road surface by tires of the vehicle. Spread area can be extended by traffic, preventing the surface ice. The system can be used for watering in summer, replacing the liquid with water.

I. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As explained above, this invention of blocks for paving has the merits as follows;

-   Blocks in a desired size can be produced in an economical and simple     procedure regardless of the thickness variation of the surface layer     pieces; -   Blocks can be durable, bonded on the tight boundaries between     materials regardless of the complicated undulation of the bonding     surfaces; -   Blocks can have enough bond strength to bear the heavy traffic; -   Blocks can have the strong sear strength because of the complicated     bond surface; Blocks of rubber can reduce the traffic noise and the     resound; -   Passing vehicles can remove ice when blocks of rubber are used.

In addition, this invention of rubber blocks for walls, banks or floor has the merits as follows:

-   Blocks can reduce the resound. -   Blocks can make environments more comfortable and safer, preventing     injuries and damages by collision.

In addition, this invention can contribute to prevent the environmental pollution by reducing heat or harmful gas, generated when the waste such as discarded tires are burnt for processing. 

1. A block having a surface layer piece attached thereto which comprises conditions as follows: a) a surface layer piece covers at least a part of the block surface when used; b) a said piece has properties desired at the position attached to; c) a bonding portion consists of viscosity of asphalt-like materials and/or delayed adhesion d) said bonding portion contacts directly with the back side of said piece; e) hardening material like concrete, hardening for a period of time, is placed directly on said bonding portion to make a curing body; f) said hardening material is placed to shape into said blocks of designed sizes; g) said hardening material has strength higher than designed one; h) said surface layer piece and said curing body are unified with said bonding portion with adhesion higher than designed one.
 2. The block having a surface piece attached thereto as claimed in claim 1, wherein a joint (34), formed in the joint space (4) around the surface layer piece (1), is connected to curing body (3) with adhesion or burying its part.
 3. The block having a surface piece attached thereto as claimed in claim 1, wherein the back side of the surface layer piece (1) has a groove or a holding arm (7) to make undulation.
 4. The block having a surface piece attached thereto as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjacent blocks are connected with a net-like member (5).
 5. The block having a surface piece attached thereto as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral line (11), parallel to the rotating axis of the wheel tire, intersects with a right angle the end line (12) of the surface layer piece (I) in the adjacent block.
 6. The block having a surface piece attached thereto as claimed in claim 1, wherein plural layers are sandwiched to be make one.
 7. The block having a surface piece attached thereto as claimed in claim 1, wherein a heating material such as carbon which can generate electrical heat is placed in bonding portion (2).
 8. The block having a surface piece attached thereto as claimed in claim 1, wherein a separator (33), made of a plane and intersecting with the surface of said surface layer piece, is placed in said curing body. 